FRAMINGHAM, MA--(Marketwired - August 29, 2017) - Virgin Pulse, the world's leading provider of employee wellbeing and engagement SaaS solutions aimed at changing lives for good®, today announced that the company is the official Challenge Sponsor of SAP SuccessFactors' annual SuccessConnect conference, to be held August 29-31 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. An innovator and pioneer in employee wellbeing and engagement, Virgin Pulse will bring its popular Step It Up to a Better You Challenge to all event attendees. This virtual, team-based competition will run throughout the conference, challenging and motivating attendees to achieve health and physical activity milestones during the event.

SuccessConnect brings together SAP SuccessFactors executives, customers, partners, industry experts and thought leaders to discuss current trends impacting HR. In addition to sessions focused on the latest HR strategies and cutting-edge technology solutions, attendees will have the opportunity to hear inspirational keynotes from Oprah, Shawn Achor and Buddy Valastro, the Cake Boss.

In a powerful, thought-provoking session titled Experience Success: Integrating Health and Wellbeing Into a Successful HR Strategy, Chris Boyce, Founder and Vice Chairman of Virgin Pulse, will explore what it really means to take care of your employees and how getting that right creates Great Places to Work cultures. Citing statistical evidence and personal examples from Virgin Pulse clients who have changed their lives for good as a result of their employers' investments in workplace wellbeing, this session reveals how companies that take care of their employees outperform their peers on virtually every business success measure -- from recruiting and retention to absenteeism and presenteeism to workplace safety to financial and stock performance. Chris' session will take place on August 31 at 9:45 am PDT in Brera 6, Conference Level B at The Cosmopolitan Hotel.

"Industry studies and research are increasingly showing that employee health and wellbeing have a direct and positive impact on employee productivity and business performance," said David Osborne, CEO of Virgin Pulse. "The data is proving out what we've long known, that healthy employees are more productive employees. As the pioneer in workplace wellbeing, Virgin Pulse is engaging employees, every day, in building healthy habits and behaviors that drive individual and organizational health and success. By providing personalized experiences and interactions that inspire employees to be their best, every day, Virgin Pulse is driving strategic HR outcomes like productivity, retention, and culture-building. We are excited to offer SuccessConnect attendees the opportunity to experience the Virgin Pulse platform firsthand and invite all attendees to engage in healthy competition by joining our Step It Up to a Better You Challenge."

As the official Challenge sponsor of SuccessConnect, Virgin Pulse is challenging SuccessConnect attendees to put their best foot forward and join the Step It Up to a Better You Challenge. Best part? No workout clothes required! All you need to do is download the app, rally your teammates and grab a pair of comfortable shoes. Vegas has never been healthier!

Challenge Instructions For SuccessConnect Attendees:

1. During the event check-in process, sync your complimentary Virgin Pulse Max Buzz device with the Step It Up to a Better You app. You'll receive step-by-step instructions on how to download the program.

3. Invite others to join you -- the challenge is way more fun when you do it together. Don't be shy -- invite your boss, an SAP executive, or anyone you'd love to take a walk with.

4. Once the challenge kicks off, use the Max Buzz to track your activity, including steps, sleep and active minutes, throughout the conference.

5. As your team reaches healthy milestones, you'll unlock new stages of the challenge and earn prizes.

As participants partake in the Challenge, they will virtually visit United States National Parks locations in the Southwest region of the country. With each stage, participants will unlock not only an exciting new destination to learn about but they will also gain information to help them with various total wellbeing habits. Participants can monitor real-time team and individual progress through the Challenge leaderboard monitors, as well as through the Challenge mobile app.

The team at the top of the leaderboard on Thursday, August 31, at 4 pm PDT will be announced during the closing keynote and win a subscription to the Oprah and Shawn Achor eCourse Part One, 21 Days to a Happier Life, and Part Two, 21 Days to Inspire Happiness Around You. The individual who logs the most steps will receive an Apple Watch.

Virgin Pulse employees will be onsite to help attendees download and register for the Challenge. Registrants will have the option to use a Max Buzz device to track their activity or they may sync their fitness device of choice. The Challenge will begin at 8 am PDT on Tuesday, August 29, and end at 4 pm PDT on Thursday, August 31. Throughout the conference, participants can interact socially through the Virgin Pulse App and share their successes using the hashtag #Pulse17.

Learn more about Virgin Pulse and how to use wellbeing technology to drive critical HR strategies at www.virginpulse.com.

About Challenges:

As business leaders continue to cite culture and engagement as key priorities impacting business, they are looking to modern technology to help them create, deliver and scale irresistible employee experiences across their workforces. Wellbeing challenges are fast proving to be an effective way to fuse science and fun to create employee experiences that engage employees, increase employee wellbeing and ultimately drive the bottom line. Among companies that participated in the Virgin Pulse Global Challenge, 75% of clients saw an improvement in teamwork, 58% of members reported improved productivity and 72% of employers saw employee engagement increase. Throughout SAP SuccessConnect, Virgin Pulse will offer deep-dive demos of Virgin Pulse wellbeing and engagement solutions, including its cutting-edge challenge capabilities. The company will also demo single sign-on and integration with the SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central solution at the Virgin Pulse booth (#6) in the Exhibit Hall.

About Virgin Pulse Virgin Pulse, the leading provider of technology solutions that promote employee engagement and wellbeing and part of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, helps employers create workforces that are happier, healthier and ultimately more productive. The company's modern, mobile first platform delivers a personalized user experience that utilizes gamification to engage users in building habits that inspire meaningful and measurable change across individuals and the businesses they serve. By helping employees thrive at work and in all aspects of life, Virgin Pulse is helping change lives and businesses around the world for good. More than 2,200 global organizations representing many of the Fortune 500 and Best Places to Work, have selected Virgin Pulse's solutions to engage their workforces and drive their businesses forward. To learn more, visit www.virginpulse.com.